The Opuatia Wetland is in the lower Waikato River valley. It contains one of the five remaining restiad bogs in the Waikato region and has several other wetland types, including fen and marsh, which makes it a high value site of national importance. Large parts of the Opuatia Wetland are managed by the regional council and the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Yellow flag iris in the wetland has become a source population for spread through the lower Waikato River catchment. Yellow flag iris is an invasive plant pest that displaces native plants and is a major threat to seasonally flooded wetlands. Extreme floods in 2017 coupled with reduced control actions in recent years resulted in an exponential increase of yellow flag iris in the Opuatia Wetland which this project seeks to control.
- Funded: $230,000 by Mfe (Public Waterways and Ecosystems Restoration Fund from the Jobs for Nature programme), $100,000 by Waikato Regional Council and $40,000 by DOC
- Total project cost: $370,000
- Project duration: 4 years
